pushing my limits

My toe felt OK enough to RW today! It is still a bit sore, but not enough to keep me from RW. And believe me, today my toe was the least of my worries.

It was raining hard and windy so I hit the gym at 5:30 am to do my hard workout. I was to do 5x800m (0.5 miles) hard. I know that is a short workout compared to what I have been doing, but it was very hard today. The gym was kind of hot, and my HR was really high, and my legs felt like Jell-O on the 3rd 800. AND then I still had two more to do. I gave it all I had, and seriously, there was nothing left when I was done. My legs were toast, my face was red and salty, and I felt trashed (in a good way I guess).

On the first 800, I did most of it at 6.7 mph, but did the last bit at 6.6 mph when I saw my HR was in the low 170s already. Um, oops. I guess I did that one too hard (yeah...it only took 4:23! I was not even that fast last summer on repeat 800s! oops!). The next one I did at 6.6 mph, but turned it down to 6.5 at the end. Still too fast. I knew I was in trouble. I gamely did the next one at 6.5, with legs and lungs burning. The last two I only managed 6.4 mph. But I pushed absolutely as hard as I could for those last two, focusing on my breathing and trying to get in a zone (yeah, a painful zone!).

Summary:
10 min warm up at 5.5-5.8 mph
4:23 ave HR160/max 168; 6.7 mph
2:36 recovery
4:29 163/173, 6.6 mph
2:34 recovery
4:36 166/175, 6.5 mph
3:21 recovery
4:45 165/174, 6.4 mph
3:04 recovery
4:43 167/175, 6.4 mph

I have to say that this was the most painful workout I have done in a while. Not because it was really so hard (5x800 isn't much) but because I pushed so hard and really worked it. I hardly noticed my toe for the burning in legs and lungs. It really, really hurt.

After that I went to weight training and did heel raises, PT exercises, bench press w/dumbbells, lunges (part of my PT exercises), cable abductor and adductor, bicep curls, tricep extensions, and a bunch of core work.

Now I am recovering with a soapy water foot soak (3x/day...oh yay) and a bowl of Kashi GoLean Crunch with soy milk and mixed berries. It has a good protein/carb ratio for recovery and is delicious :).